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Panel Discusses Climate Change; Hosted by “NRCM”

“Climate change is the greatest threat we have,” said Lisa Pohlmann, National Resources Council of Maine, (“NRCM”) Executive Director, in her opening remarks to a large audience at USM, Portland, on October 16th. Pohlmann’s comments came at the start of a panel discussion including three authorities on the subject and Senator Angus King. The latter was unable to attend due to ongoing government shutdown negotiations in Washington, D.C.

The message was simple, but it bears repeating over and over – until everyone hears it – and believes it. Delivered by Dr. Michael E. Mann, author of the new book, “The Hockey Stick and the Climate War,” and a Distinguished Professor of Meteorology and director of the Earth System Science Center at Penn State University, he said that the earth is warming and there are lots of indicators of this. “It’s unequivocable,” he said. “The climate has warmed despite nature’s natural desire to cool off….if we could stop fossil fuel burning now, we’d be okay.” The low-key Dr. Mann went on to point out that “The New York Times” recently did an article on how climate change is a factor in the declining moose population in Minnesota. “Here in Maine that message hits close to home,” he added. “The same politicians trying to close down the government in Washington believe science is a political football to be abused.” The award-winning Dr. Mann is also a co-founder and avid contributor to the award-winnng science website RealClimate.org.

“Maine lobstermen are lobstering differently now. It’s not in my front yard any more,” said John Ready, who with his brother Brendan own Ready Seafood Company, Commercial Street, Portland. Maine natives, the two began harvesting lobsters as children, working their own traps from the age of 9 – east of Portland. Ready said he has observed a new species of fish off Maine waters arriving from New York. Lobsters are also moving farther off-shore and that changes how fishermen fish. “Look Out Point (Harpswell) used to be our biggest source of lobster. This year it was our least productive source,” Ready said.

Excerpts from a letter from the absent Senator Angus King (I), said: “Climate change is not a hoax. I will do what I can to change hearts and minds of those here in D.C. about climate change. “We have to admit we have a problem and stop burning fossil fuels that put CO2 in the atmosphere. The greatest generation had to sacrifice. We are the oblivious generation. We have to sacrifice too.”

“The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars,” was copyrighted in 2012, costs $28.95, is published by Columbia University Press and is 258 pages long, exclusing the glossary.